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Government Expert Panels
on Missiles
Thanks to Michael Spies, Lawyers'
Committee on Nuclear Policy, for his reports in the First Committee
Monitor 2007, Week
1 and Week
2, for some of the material used in explaining the results of
the Second and Third Panels.
First Panel
On 4 October 4 2000, Iran introduced a resolution (A/C.1/55/L.1/Rev.1)
on missiles to the 55th session of the General
Assembly First Committee. The resolution was adopted by the
Committee by 90 votes to 0 with 60 abstentions, and by the General
Assembly by 97 votes to 0 with 65 abstentions. The resolution emphasizes
the "need for a comprehensive approach towards missiles, in
a balanced and non-discriminatory manner, as a contribution to international
peace and security." It requests the Secretary-General, with
the assistance of a panel of governmental experts, prepare a report
on missiles in all its aspects.
There were 23 countries on this panel: Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Russia, Republic of
Slovakia, South Africa, Ukraine, UK, and US.
The three meetings occurred at the United Nations Headquarters in
New York, under the auspices of Department of Disarmament Affairs
in August 2001, April 2002, and July 2002. These meetings were closed
to non-governmental organizations and the public at large, due to
the "sensitive" nature of the discussions. The Secetary-General
released its report on "Missiles
and all its aspects" on 23 July 2002:
The report provides an overview giving the background and current
situation in the field of missiles. It also describes a number
of areas of concern.
These concerns are related to, inter alia, the increasing number,
range, technological sophistication and geographic spread of missiles
and their capability of delivering weapons of mass destruction,
in particular nuclear weapons, as well as conventional weapons,
missile defences and their strategic consequences, the potential
use of space-launch vehicle technology for the development of
missiles, the role of missiles in military doctrines as well as
the role and scope of confidencebuilding measures.
The Panel concluded, among other things, that these and other
issues are regarded as serious concerns for international peace
and security. It noted that there are multiple approaches currently
undertaken to deal with the issue of missiles, both within and
outside the United Nations. The Panel also stated that it is essential
to continue efforts in this regard and noted the role of the United
Nations in this context. Finally, it concluded that all approaches
undertaken at the national, bilateral, regional, plurilateral
and multilateral levels, including the initiatives described in
the report, need to be further explored.
Second Panel
In October 2003, Iran sponsored another resolution on the
subject under the same name, draft
resolution 58/L.4, which passed in the First Committee with
98 in favor, and 59 abstentions.
(Read the explanations of votes from Japan,
the European Union,
Australia
and the Republic of
Korea.) Draft resolution L.4 established another panel of experts,
which commenced their work in February 2004, and held two other
sessions in May and July 2004.
There were 23 member states on this panel: Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, India,
Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan,
Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine,
United Kingdom, and United States.
The Panel failed to reach consensus on the preparation of a final
report, because of "the complexity of the issue". The
Secretary-General released its report
on 18 August 2004.
Subsequently, General Assembly resolution A/59/67
in October 2004 requested the Secretary-General prepare a report,
with the support of qualified consultants and the United
Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), as appropriate,
taking into account the views expressed by member states. The report,
was "to contribute to the United Nations endeavor to address
the issue of missiles in all its aspects, by identifying areas where
consensus can be reached, and to submit it to the General Assembly
at its sixty-first session." It also "requests the Secretary-General,
with the assistance of a Panel of Governmental Experts, to be established
in 2007 on the basis of equitable geographical distribution, to
explore further ways and means to address within the United Nations
the issue of missiles in all its aspects, including identifying
areas where consensus can be reached, and to submit a report for
consideration by the General Assembly at its sixty-third session."
The report,
prepared in 2006 by the Secretary-General, with the assistance of
UNIDIR, pursuant
to UNGA resolution 59/67 (2004) and welcomed last year by resolution
61/59
(2006), provided a useful overview in understanding the lack
of consensus on the issue of missiles. It explored three axes of
divergence on dealing with the matter: Priority—Addressing
missiles “as a distinct priority” (a more recent development)
or in the context of nuclear weapon delivery systems and as part
of broader nuclear disarmament mandates; Scope—Which
type of missiles are to be covered, whether it be ballistic missiles,
in its various classifications by range and payload, cruise missiles,
man-portable air defense systems, or anti-ballistic missile systems;
Method—Dealing with missiles in universal and inclusive
forums, with legal or voluntary regimes, and on a case by case basis
or in a comprehensive manner.
Third Panel
The Third Panel of Governmental Experts on Missiles, established
by UNGA resolution 59/67
(2004), met for its first session in June 2007. Whereas the
first panel, established by UNGA resolution 55/33 A (2000), was
able to adopt a comprehensive factual report—though falling
well short of drawing any actionable conclusions, much less recommendations—this
third attempt follows the failure of the second panel to even adopt
a final report, intended at the outset merely “to explore
further the issue of missiles in all its aspects.” The mandate
of the present Panel of Experts is “to explore further ways
and means to address within the United Nations the issue of missiles
in all its aspects, including identifying areas where consensus
can be reached,” and to submit a report, expected to be completed
by June 2008, to the sixty-third session of the General Assembly.
The delegation of Iran expressed pleasure that the third Panel
of Government Experts on missiles seemed to have a “very constructive
and serious discussion” during its first substantive session.
In light of the fact that the panel will have two additional sessions
in 2008, the Iranians announced they would introduce a draft decision
on the issue of missiles instead of a substantive resolution “as
suggested by the 2005 recommendations of the Committee on ‘methods
of work.’”
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